Chest-Trundle Article for Storage

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture and method of using the article that satisfies LEED building credits in the Green Building Rating System, whereby the article has a main chest body having a cavity positioned on the lower portion between two support members and a trundle seat configured to be retractably positioned in said cavity.

INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/032,125 filed Feb. 28, 2008 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is increasing knowledge and recognition of the importance of environmentally friendly products. The U.S. Green Building Council of Washington, D.C. (USGBC) is a non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices. USGBC endeavors to advance structures that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. Members includes building owners and end-users, real estate developers, facility managers, architects, designers, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, product and building system manufacturers, government agencies, and nonprofits.

The USBG has published The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™ which encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

The present invention addresses a specific need in the LEED System.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The “trundle chest” was conceived out of necessity to have a piece of furniture, to be placed in the foyer of a “Green Home.” A “green home” is a house that is constructed and furnished with in accordance with sustainable environmental practices. It is desirable for builders to attain LEED points that contribute to the green building rating system. LEED as described above provides standards in a rating system for environmentally sustainable construction.

Within the LEED rating system are guidelines entitled LEED for Homes Rating System. Item “IEQ 8” of the Rating System relates to “Contaminant Control”, offers a full lead point for “Indoor Contaminant Control” as follows:

“Design a space near primary entryway for removing and storing shoes that is separated from living areas (i.e., foyer). This space may not have wall-to-wall carpeting and it must be large enough to accommodate a bench and at least 2 pairs of shoes per bedroom.”

The present invention provides a furniture piece configured for the Green Home that fulfills the USBG LEED requirement with one piece of furniture placed in the foyer of the house.

Additional attributes of the furniture article includes, but would not be limited to:

1. Built with sustainably managed tree farmed wood that may also be certified by FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), which is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world's forests. FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way.

2. Low VOC paint. (Most conventional paints contain high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that produce a breathable gas when applied. The VOCs diminish air quality, and may be detrimental to your health. Today, alternative manufacturing techniques have allowed the development of low- and no-VOC paints that release no, or minimal VOC pollutants, and are virtually odor free.)

3. Non-toxic (low VOC) water-based glue/adhesives

4. LEED approved to contribute one full point for the LEED Green Building Rating System.

The “trundle bench” of the present invention provides a place to sit while removing one's shoes, and offers space savings with its retractability. In one embodiment, the invention has a single trundle bench. Optionally, there may be two or more benches in a single piece of furniture.

The present invention also provides a method of obtaining a LEED credit in the Green Building Rating System having the steps of:

-   -   a. providing an article according to the present invention;     -   b. configuring said article such that there is configuration to         store at least two pair of shoes for each bedroom in a residence         in which said article is provided;     -   c. placing the article in a residence; and     -   d. applying for a LEED credit in the Green Building Rating         System based on providing said article to said residence.

In a preferred embodiment, the method includes constructing the article substantially of sustainably managed tree farmed wood. The method also includes finishing the article with low volatile organic compound or no volatile organic compound paint or finish as well as utilization of low volatile organic compound or no volatile organic compound water-based adhesives.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is front perspective view of the article.

FIG. 1A is a front view of the article.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the trundle of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a side perspective view of the article with trundle extended and trundle seat cover open.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the article with trundle extended and trundle seat cover open.

FIG. 4 is a view of the underside of the chest cavity and trundle.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the trundle and trundle guides.

FIG. 6 is a close up front view of the chest cavity and the trundle nested therein.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the chest with an individual chest door being opened.

FIG. 8 is a close up side perspective view showing shoes stored in an individual chest cavity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is an article of furniture having a chest trundle combination 10 with a chest 11 and a trundle 13. Chest 11 has a first side panel 31 and a second side panel 32 and a top horizontal surface 30. Each of side panels 31 and 32 have, on their lower portion a chest leg 23. Chest 11 has a front face 35, a plurality of chest door handles 26 each individually connected to a chest door 25. Each chest door 25 encloses, a “cubby,” an individual chest storage cavity 28 that is accessed when chest door 25 is pivotably opened along chest door hinges 27. Chest storage cavity 28 preferably stores shoes 29 and may as well store other desired articles. Chest 11 has a chest cavity 12 of suitable size and configuration to accept trundle 13. The inner portion of chest cavity 12 has a chest mounted trundle guide 21 on each of the two interior regions of cavity 12 bounded by chest first side 31 and chest second side 32.

Trundle 13 has a female trundle guide 14 and male trundle guide 33 on each of the first trundle side 38 and second trundle side 36. Trundle 13 has trundle seat 16 that is pivotably attached to trundle 13 at trundle hinge 17. Trundle 13 also has trundle interior 20 that is divided into two sections by trundle interior divider 34. Alternatively, trundle interior 20 may be a single undivided cavity. Trundle 13 also has wheels 15 attached to each trundle leg 22. Preferably, trundle 13 has four trundle legs 22 each with an attached wheel 15. Trundle 13 also has at least one trundle knob 18 for moving trundle as desired. In a preferred embodiment, trundle wheels 15 are non pivotable. However, pivotable wheels may be used if desired. Trundle interior 20 is bounded by first trundle side 38 second trundle side 36 and trundle underside 24.

Chest 11 has chest cavity 12 that is configured on the lower portion of chest 11. Chest cavity 12 is of sufficient size and shape to allow for the nesting of trundle 13 that retracts substantially underneath the periphery of chest 11. Preferably, cavity 12 and trundle 13 are configured and arranged to maximize the size of trundle 13 based on the available space in cavity 12.

Trundle 13 extends outward from the periphery of chest 11 using wheels 15 that are attached at the bottom of each trundle leg 22. Chest 11 has a chest mounted trundle guide 21 on each of the chest first side 31 and chest second side 32, wherein each chest mounted trundle guide 21 interacts with a complementary male trundle guide 33 that are on each of the first trundle side 38 and second trundle side 36 of trundle 13. The complementary action of each chest mounted trundle guide 21, male trundle guide 33, and female trundle guide 14, facilitate the extension of trundle 13 outward from chest cavity 12 and retraction into chest cavity 12 as desired.

Trundle guides 21, 33, and 14, serve not only to guide the trundle in and out of the cavity as desired, but also to secure trundle 13 to chest 11 in order that trundle 13 does not move out of a suitable extension and a retraction orientation. Additionally, should a user desire to move trundle 13 completely away from chest 11, trundle guide release 19, on either side of trundle 13, will release trundle 13 from its secured orientation and allow the trundle to be moved completely clear of chest 11.

Chest 11 is preferably configured with a plurality of chest doors 25 each with at least one chest door handle 26. Chest door 25 serves as an opening for accessing chest storage cavity 28. Chest door 25, when closed also serves as the enclosure and final wall of chest storage cavity 28. In a preferred embodiment chest storage cavity 28 is configured of suitable size and shape to store a typical pair of shoes 29.

Additional variations include a chest with a single row having six storage cavities horizontally in a row. A configuration having two rows with five storage cavities horizontal in a row is also contemplated.

The specific configuration of the columns and rows may be varied as space and design constraints dictate.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts and dimensions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. An article of furniture comprising: a. a main chest body having a cavity positioned on the lower portion between two support members; b. a trundle seat configured to be retractably positioned in said cavity.
 2. The article of claim 1 wherein said support members comprise a mechanism for engaging and guiding the trundle seat into a retracted and extended position.
 3. The article of claim 2 wherein said mechanism further comprises a device for preventing the trundle seat from being extended past the periphery of the front of the main chest body.
 4. The article of claim 3 wherein said device may be disengaged to allow the trundle seat to be moved into position clear of the main chest body.
 5. The article of claim 2 wherein the mechanism engages a complimentary mechanism attached to the trundle seat.
 6. The article of claim 1 wherein said cavity and said trundle seat are configured of complimentary shape to facilitate the retraction of the trundle seat in the periphery of the chest.
 7. The article of claim 6 wherein the complimentary shapes are substantially rectangular.
 8. The article of claim 1 wherein said trundle seat comprises a mechanism to facilitate extension from and retraction to said cavity.
 9. The article of claim 8 wherein said mechanism to facilitate extension are wheels, casters, and the like.
 10. A method for storing shoes at the entrance of a building comprising the steps of: a. providing an article according to claim 1; b. extending said trundle; c. sitting on said extended trundle; d. removing one's shoes; e. placing the removed shoes in the chest of step a; f. retracting said trundle.
 11. A method of obtaining a LEED credit in the Green Building Rating System comprising the steps of: a. providing an article according to claim 1; b. configuring said article such that there is configuration to store at least two pair of shoes for each bedroom in a residence in which said article is provided; c. providing said article at said residence; d. applying for a LEED credit in said Green Building Rating System based on providing said article to said residence.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said article is substantially constructed of sustainably managed tree farmed wood.
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein said article is finished with low volatile organic compound or no volatile organic compound paint or finish.
 14. The method of claim 11 wherein said article comprises low volatile organic compound or no volatile organic compound water-based adhesives. 